


Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

by fangirlingtodeath513



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Coda, Episode: s15e18 Coda, Episode: s15e18 Despair, M/M, Minor Eileen Leahy/Sam Winchester, Post-Episode: s15e18 Coda, Post-Episode: s15e18 Despair, Spoilers for Episode: s15e18 Despair
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-13
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:14:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27533596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirlingtodeath513/pseuds/fangirlingtodeath513
Summary: What remains of TFW 2.0 deals with the aftermath of the Empty's visit.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Kudos: 108





	Empty Chairs at Empty Tables

**Author's Note:**

> Did I name this after a song from Les Miz? Yes. Does it fit? Also yes.
> 
> Super excited to be back writing codas! I wanted to get this one out before tonight's episode but I'll definitely go back and add the other ones :D

He’s not sure how long he sits there. It could be minutes, it could be hours, it could even be days.

Sam and Jack find him exactly where he’s been ever since Castiel—ever since the Empty came. Sam’s frantic, something about Dean not answering his phone and people going missing. At least, that’s what he thinks is said. He only manages to stare up at his brother blanky, unable to comprehend a single word that’s leaving his mouth.

Sam must realize he won’t be getting an answer since he and Jack both haul Dean to his feet with shaking hands. Dean’s not sure why their hands are shaking, he’s the one that just lost everything.

They’re all quiet, just standing near the wall, for a long time. Then, in the quietest of voices, Jack says, “Castiel’s gone, isn’t he?”

Dean looks over at the kid—because that’s all he is, a damn kid—and all the fight just leaves his body. He’s used to carrying anger and grief and being overwhelmed, but this… this is something different. He’s lost Castiel before, sure, but back then he could tell himself it was just another family member he lost, someone else who was touched by their cursed life. But now, with what Castiel had admitted before his death… now it’s impossible. And it’s impossible to shove his own feelings back into the box Castiel had released them from. 

He’s been holding onto them for so long, maybe even longer than he remembers. He’s always known about his bisexuality, but back when he was growing up, it wasn’t something that was talked about. Not to mention he’s not even sure Castiel fits—fit—that mold. Sure, the human body he inhabited was male and, for all intents and purposes, that body was his. He supposes that doesn’t matter all that much anymore. It’s irrelevant, now that Castiel’s been taken by the one place they can’t reach.

“Yeah,” he finally chokes out, leaning back against the wall. “Yeah, the Empty took him.”

Sam frowns at him but Dean can’t be bothered trying to figure out what he wants to ask. He just pushes himself away from the wall and staggers to the library, grabbing the bottle of whiskey off the cart and downing a quarter of it in a few gulps. Sam and Jack just stand back, both looking like they want to say something but neither does.

Sam’s the first one to speak up, though it’s much later in the day. 

“Everyone’s gone. The whole world, everyone just… disappeared.”

Dean looks over at him with a mixture of anger and annoyance. “I don’t care, Sam. If we’re the only ones left alive, Chuck may as well just come kill us too.”

“You don’t mean that,” Sam says gently, like he’s trying not to spook a wild animal. “Cas wouldn’t want that.”

Dean’s look turns to one of pure hatred. “Don’t you dare use him against me. You don’t know a damn thing.”

“Oh, grow up Dean. You and Cas may have been dancing around your thing for years but anyone with eyes could see it. He didn’t sacrifice himself just for you to give up, don’t you get that? He’s giving us a chance to end this and fix things. Billie’s out of the way, all we have to do is reap Chuck.” Sam holds up Death’s ring, like his plan is the simplest thing in the world, and sets it on the table. “We’ve still got her scythe, too. We reap God and we can fix all of this, maybe even Cas.”

They reap God on a Thursday. It’s fitting, at least in Dean’s mind. He’d met Castiel on a Thursday, it’s only right that the story arc they’d set out on together be completed on the same day.

The world repopulates. Everyone Chuck had vanished reappears exactly where they’d been. They get everyone back and it should be a win, except… Except Castiel’s nowhere to be seen. Dean hadn’t exactly expected him to return with everyone else, given the circumstances of his death, but a small part of him had hoped. 

Eileen moves into the bunker, which is simultaneously wonderful and awful. Her and Sam being happy only makes Dean feel that much worse, but he’s not going to rain on his brother’s parade. No, he’s got something he needs to do.

He doesn’t even have to ask Jack, he’s already waiting in the bunker’s dungeon by the time Dean gets there with his weapons, like he’d been expecting Dean. They don’t even speak, Jack just opens a door to the Empty and offers Dean a small smile and together, they step through.


End file.
